The present invention generally relates to a reclosable package or container which is powder, liquid, gas or steam proof before being opened and which, after having been opened, is adapted for being reclosed to become at least powder tight and preferably liquid, gas or steam tight.
Such reclosable packages or containers comprise an outer container sleeve of a supporting material, an inner bag or an inner layer on said container sleeve of a powder, liquid, gas or steam proof material and a reclosable lid means comprising a lid frame adapted to be connected to the container sleeve and a closing lid adapted to be connected to the lid frame.
For a reclosable container of the above described type, it is desirable that the container be powder, liquid and gas or steam proof before the container has been initially opened, and that the container can, thereafter, be reclosed at least so as to be powder tight; so that no gas-way appears between the outer container, which is generally not sealed, and the inner bag; and so that the content of the container cannot enter any possible spaces between the inner bag and the reclosable lid means. This requirement is especially important for goods which may be destroyed by the action of the oxygen of the air, for instance food stuffs like coffee, tea and many other products.
Packages or containers of this general type are known for instance from applicant's German Pat. No. 1,511,087, which patent discloses a container in which the inner bag is connected to the inner surface of the cardboard outer container and is formed with an end closure foil, and in which a reclosable lid means is formed with a join-channel into which the evenly cut upper edges of the outer container and the inner bag are introduced and secured.
Applicant's Swedish Pat. No. 77 00806-8 discloses a similar type of container in which the inner powder, liquid, and gas or steam proof bag is likewise connected to the cardboard outer container adjacent the upper edge thereof, and whereby the container is adapted for being provided with a separate reclosing lid.
Both types of containers while generally satisfactory in performance could be made even more functional for continued storage and protection of the material therein after the container has been initially opened by providing a high efficiency seal for the reclosable lid means. In addition, such prior art containers could be further improved so that the content of the containers, which may be a liquid, a powder or a granular material, etc., will not be able to penetrate into the area between the inner bag and the cardboard outer container.
Another known type of container comprises a container sleeve made of a blank of cardboard material, which at least on the inner surface is covered with a weldable layer of material, preferably a high frequence weldable material, and in which the container sleeve at the bottom thereof is closed by means of a cup-formed foil or a cup-formed lid piece having a weldable layer of material facing the interior of the container and facing the walls of the sleeve. The cup-formed piece is introduced in the container sleeve and is secured to the walls thereof, for instance by high frequence weld connecting the two layers of material facing each other.
In the manufacture of such a container a sleeve is prepared, formed with a bottom and is filled with the intended goods, whereupon a lid piece is pressed into said sleeve by means of a press plunge. In such containers it is preferable that a plain lid blank is pressed down through a formation ring provided around the opening of the sleeve, whereby the lid blank is automatically formed with upwardly extending rims as it is pressed down into a cup-shaped lid piece. After the cup-shaped lid piece has been introduced in the container tube the folded up rims thereof are weld connected to the layer on the inner surface of the sleeve. A container of this type can easily be made powder, liquid, gas or steam proof, and it is well suited for packing of all kinds of solid and liquid goods, for instance food stuffs. When the container is opened a part of the lid piece is cut or torn open, and the packed goods can be poured out or can be portioned out.
For such goods which are successively consumed the container is provided with a detachable reclosing lid. A container of the above mentioned type may in some cases, especially in case of relatively thin container sleeves, be considered relatively weak, and the upper edge can be damaged after repeated reclosing of the detachable reclosing lid. In such a case it would be advantageous that the reclosing lid cooperates with an edge frame of stiff material, and it would likewise be advantageous that the reclosing lid be inseparably connected to the container or to such stiff edge frame.